About 700 Ukrainians deemed missing in Donbas

As of February 11, about 700 Ukrainians are deemed missing, 136 more are held captive by pro-Russian militants in Donbas

Militants are holding 136 Ukrainians captive, and another 700 Ukrainians are deemed missing, Iryna Gerashchenko, the Ukrainian president’s ombudsman for the peace process in Donbas, wrote on Facebook on Thursday, Interfax reports.

In the opinion of Geraschenko, Ukraine’s partners from the United States, the European Union, and international organizations do not pay sufficient attention to the humanitarian aspects of the conflict, as they are focused on the political issues.

“The West prioritizes political goals, and this is wrong. Political issues cannot be resolved without implementation of humanitarian provisions of the Minsk agreements – the liberation of hostages and the unhampered access to all the territory for humanitarian missions,” – Gerashchenko said.